"Provide $2,000-lines of credit to every taxpayer, accessed through a government-issued credit card.

"The interest rate would be 6% per year, the money could be paid back over the course of 10 years, and the credit limit would gradually fall as the economy recovered and the stimulus from this extra borrowing power was no longer needed… most of the funds people borrow using these government-issued credit cards would eventually be repaid—particularly since the government can enforce repayment through payroll deduction. The unemployed would have their payments deferred, but once the economy is moving again, most people would have jobs with paychecks so they could repay… the stimulus effects of Federal Lines of Credit would be at worst only a little smaller than the stimulus from a $2,000 per person tax rebate.

"If 90% or more of everyone eventually repays, a $2,000 per person line of credit would ultimately cost less than $200 per person. With a good deal like that for getting the economy back in gear, maybe even Republicans and Democrats can agree on it."

Why don't we just skip directly to where you and Obama would like us...

Everyone turn all of their money and report to their govt assigned work camp where we'll all be issued the same box of dry noodles and money for the month....It's like the left wants all Americans to work for a coal camp and owe their life to the company store.

"If 90% or more of everyone eventually repays, a $2,000 per person line of credit would ultimately cost less than $200 per person."

Considering who the people are that would actually need/use a government credit card, what do you realistically think would be the percentage of those who repaid?
Considerably less than 90% would be my guess.

EDIT: Ok, this is proposed as an alternative to a simple tax rebate. I suppose if the issue is "we need to stimulate consumption -- should it be a tax rebate or a credit card like this one", then I can see room for debate/discussion. IMHO those who assets took the rebate and banked it, so it's no different than what happens if you give out credit cards like this (those with assets wouldn't use it).

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"I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington

"If 90% or more of everyone eventually repays, a $2,000 per person line of credit would ultimately cost less than $200 per person."

Considering who the people are that would actually need/use a government credit card, what do you realistically think would be the percentage of those who repaid?
Considerably less than 90% would be my guess.

Yeah, but if you do one of those one-time rebates, the money is gone anyway, so if you're posing an either/or, that part doesn't matter much.

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"I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington